Menu

Search

An electric car is an automobile that is propelled by one or more electric motors, using electrical energy stored in rechargeable batteries or another energy storage device. Electric motors give electric cars instant torque, creating strong and smooth acceleration. They are also around three times as efficient as cars with an internal combustion engine. The first electric cars were produced in the 1880s. Since 2008, a renaissance in electric vehicle manufacturing has occurred due to advances in batteries and energy management, concerns about increasing oil prices, and the need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Several national and local governments have established tax credits, subsidies, and other incentives to promote the introduction and adoption in the mass market of new electric vehicles depending on battery size and their all-electric range. Electric cars are significantly quieter than conventional internal combustion engine automobiles. They do not emit tailpipe pollutants, giving a large reduction of local air pollution, and, can give a significant reduction in total greenhouse gas and other emissions (dependent on the method used for electricity generation). As of September 2015, there are over 30 models of highway legal all-electric passenger cars and utility vans available for retail sales, mainly in the United States, China, Japan, Western European countries. By mid-September 2015, about 620,000 light-duty electric vehicles have been sold worldwide out of total global sales of one million plug-in electric cars sold since 2008. The world's top selling highway-capable electric car is the Nissan Leaf, released in December 2010 and sold in 46 countries. Global Leaf sales passed the 200,000 unit milestone in December 2015, and the Tesla Model S, released in June 2012, ranks second with over 107,000 units sold worldwide. In this series, we cover stories covering the development of electric vehicles around the world.

Electric Car Series

Boosting EV market share to 67% of US car sales is a huge leap – but automakers can meet EPA's tough new standards

Apr 14, 2023 14:11 pm UTC| Business

One big question keeps surfacing after the Biden administration announced plans to raise auto standards so sharply they would likely boost electric vehicle production to 67% of all new passenger vehicle sales in under a...

Electric Car Series

Electric utes can now power the weekend – and the work week

Feb 14, 2023 13:13 pm UTC| Business

Four years ago, then-Prime Minister Scott Morrison famously claimed electric vehicles (EVs) would end the weekend. Its not going to tow your trailer. Its not going to tow your boat. Its not going to get you out to your...

Electric Car Series

Electric vehicles are now trending. But where can we charge them?

Feb 06, 2023 05:05 am UTC| Business

Canada is on the road to transformation in mobility. The federal government recently announced its zero-emission vehicle sales target, which requires all light-duty passenger vehicles sold by 2035 to be...

Electric Car Series

Let buyers jump the queue for electric cars by importing them directly

Jan 24, 2023 10:22 am UTC| Business

If Australia is to decarbonise our energy system by 2050, we need to start the transition to electric vehicles very soon. Cars sold in the 2030s will mostly still be on the road in 2050, so we have to make sure most of...

Electric Car Series

Britishvolt: more evidence UK is falling far behind in race to capture growing EV market

Jan 24, 2023 07:51 am UTC| Technology

Britishvolt, the would-be electric vehicle (EV) battery maker that recently went into administration, always faced an uphill struggle. The start-up had no track record developing technology and never confirmed how it would...

Electric Car Series

Exclusive. Top economists call for budget measures to speed the switch to electric cars

Jun 20, 2021 12:05 pm UTC| Economy

Australias top economists overwhelmingly back government measures to speed the transition to electric cars in order to meet emission reduction targets. An exclusive poll of 62 of Australias preeminent economists ...

Electric Car Series

The trucking industry has begun to turn electric — but passenger vehicles will take a little longer

Apr 30, 2021 08:19 am UTC| Business

Australias trucking industry is making moves to go electric. The latest development a system for using swappable batteries instead of time-consuming recharge stations for long-haul trucks between Sydney and Brisbane ...

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10   

Economy

Impact of Iran-Israel conflict on Stocks, Gold and Bitcoin

Disclaimer: This is not investment advice. The information provided is for general purposes only. No information, materials, services and other content provided on this page constitute a solicitation, recommendation,...

Japan Posts 7.7% Growth in Machinery Orders

In a striking development that looks set to invigorate Japans economic prospects, a key gauge of capital spending in the country has seen its most significant jump in over a year. According to Cabinet Office data released...

How cuts to marginal income tax could boost the UK’s stagnant economic growth

The British prime minister recently claimed the UK economy has turned a corner. Rishi Sunak said inflation figures were encouraging, and proclaimed that 2024 would be the year Britain bounces back. According to his...

A sustainable future begins at ground level

In 2015, the United Nations adopted the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as a call to action in global partnership. By 2023 it appears that our progress has been far from satisfactory in achieving these...

Digital trade protocol for Africa: why it matters, what’s in it and what’s still missing

In February 2024, African heads of states adopted a draft protocol to regulate digital trade within the continent. This significant yet challenging course for Africas digital economy fits into the broader trade agreement,...

Politics

Putin’s Russia: first arrests under new anti-LGBT laws mark new era of repression

Just over three decades after Russia decriminalised homosexuality in 1993, three people have been arrested and charged under the countrys harsh new anti-LGBT laws and could face ten years in prison for membership of an...

Nvidia RTX 4090D Embroiled in US-China Tech Rivalry; South Korea Navigates Chip Export Dilemma

The U.S. government has tightened export restrictions on high-performance semiconductor chips to China, including the Nvidia RTX 4090D, and is urging South Korea to enforce similar curbs, marking a significant escalation...

Canada needs a national strategy for homeless refugee claimants

One year after the federal government closed Roxham Road, refugee claims in Canada continue to increase: there were 143,785 in 2023 compared to 91,730 in 2022. The surprise announcement in March 2023 to modify Canadas...

Who will Trump pick as his running mate?

Being second in line for leadership of the most powerful country in the world is not an easy job. But for Mike Pence, vice president under Donald Trump, things were even harder than usual. As insurrectionists descended...

US and Japan Boost AI, Semiconductor Alliance; EU Eyes Reduction in China Dependence

Japan and the United States are poised to deepen ties in the high-tech sector, signaling a strategic move to enhance their global partnership with a focus on artificial intelligence and semiconductor...

Science

Could a telescope ever see the beginning of time? An astronomer explains

The James Webb Space Telescope, or JWST for short, is one of the most advanced telescopes ever built. Planning for JWST began over 25 years ago, and construction efforts spanned over a decade. It was launched into space on...

US media coverage of new science less likely to mention researchers with African and East Asian names

When one Chinese national recently petitioned the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services to become a permanent resident, he thought his chances were pretty good. As an accomplished biologist, he figured that news...

If life exists on Jupiter’s moon Europa, scientists might soon be able to detect it

Europa is one of the largest of more than 90 moons in orbit around the planet Jupiter. It is also one of the best places to look for alien life. Often termed an ocean world by scientists, observations to date strongly...

Exploding stars are rare but emit torrents of radiation − if one happened close enough to Earth, it could threaten life on the planet

Stars like the Sun are remarkably constant. They vary in brightness by only 0.1% over years and decades, thanks to the fusion of hydrogen into helium that powers them. This process will keep the Sun shining steadily for...

An eclipse for everyone – how visually impaired students can ‘get a feel for’ eclipses

Many people in the U.S. will have an opportunity to witness nearly four minutes of a total solar eclipse on Monday, April 8, 2024, as it moves from southern Texas to Maine. But in the U.S., over 7 million people are blind...

Technology

OpenAI Likely to Launch GPT-4.5 in 2023 Amid Surging AI Development Costs

As the race in generative AI heats up, OpenAI may opt for an incremental update with GPT-4.5 this year, sidestepping the substantial resource demands a full leap to GPT-5 would entail. Resource Constraints May Steer...

Venezuela Embraces Cryptocurrency for Oil Exports to Circumvent US Sanctions

Venezuelas state oil company, PDVSA, is facing renewed US sanctions. To secure its oil trade revenues, it is increasingly turning to cryptocurrency, specifically USDT. This shift is aimed at sidestepping restrictions that...

Tesla Expands in Thailand: New Interest Rate Program and Land Acquisition Talks

Tesla Thailand announces a competitive interest rate initiative for Model 3 and Model Y purchasers, paired with discussions for substantial land acquisition to establish a Gigafactory, marking a strategic move in the...

Rivian's Earth Day Special: $5,000 Off for Trading Gas Cars for Electric

In celebration of Earth Day, Rivian has launched a $5,000 trade-in offer, enticing car owners to switch from select gasoline vehicles to its eco-friendly electric models, the R1T and R1S. The deal includes a year of free...
  • Market Data
Close

Welcome to EconoTimes

Sign up for daily updates for the most important
stories unfolding in the global economy.